X5 vs. ML350 Ride Quality and Tire Selection
 

I have an X35d in production. It will mainly be driven by my wife who is coming from a '01 E53 with ZSP. We ordered the new X with ZSP and deleted the sport suspension because she wanted a softer ride but liked the other package components.

Well, at her suggestion, we drove the ML350 BlueTec. As expected, she liked the ride and the steering feel better than the X. On the other hand, I found nothing compelling about the vehicle.

We purchase our vehicles and tend to keep them for a long time (see above), and I don't see the ML350 as a long-term solution.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has driven the ML350 with stock RFTs and an E70 with non-RFTs (preferably 19s)? If so, I would be very interested in how the rides compared. My thought is that switching to non-RFTs might solve the ride issue. If not, I'd like any opinions.

Now, if only active steering was offered on the diesel!

Have you tried the adaptive suspension??? You should, or rather SHE should.

No. I read a lot about it here. What I took away was that with the adaptive mode off, the ride was the same as with the standard suspension. With adaptive on, the ride was stiffer.

It's moot since the car is in production, unless I don't take the car and reorder with adaptive suspension. However, if what I read is true, I don't think it would make sense to get it. Is it your opinion that the ride is softer with adaptive suspension?

Why fix what isn't broke? May I humbly suggest that she drive the car for at least 3 months before you do anything. My money is on her preferring the X once she's spent some time in the driver's seat.

Ride is stiffer with adaptive suspension, even if it's not in sport-mode.

By no means is it softer. The harshness is close to a 335i with the sport package. If you're looking for a soft ride AVOID the adaptive drive.

I have it, and while I enjoy the ride, others have commented about the harshness.

In uphill twisty roads it handles exceedingly well for a 5900+ lbs. truck.

The ML350 is garbage, compared to the X5. Everything from the lightness of its steering, which is borderline dangerous, to the plastic switch quality which is straight out of a Kia, it's behind the BMW on all regards in my opinion.

I really have never driven a $50k+ vehicle that felt as cheap as the Mercedes ML350. Get the BMW, but save the $3500 on the adaptive drive and put it towards something worthwhile, especially since you're wife is going to be very unhappy with the firm ride.

I totally agree. I wouldn't consider switching to non-RFTs until the supplied RFTs were ready to be changed. I just need to get some ammo together to sway her from the ML as devious as that sounds.

I appreciate all the comments. Would you elaborate on your impressions of the ML's steering being borderline dangerous? I assume you mean that it lacks the directed steering input that the X offers.

Dangerous: I felt the steering was as light as that on my 2008 Honda Civic. I don't think light steering, due to a high power steering ratio, is safe on a vehicle with a GVWR of 6,000 lbs.

Light steering and emergency corrections, to me can lead to overcorrections.

It's a personal preference, but I feel that the light steering, was so light as to be considered dangerous.

It's my personal opinion, and maybe that's a strong word, but I'm comparing it to the BMW, which has a acutely accurate steering response.

So, I was quite shocked when I drove the ML350, as I too was considering it as an option to the BMW. It's funny, I was thinking explicitly of my wife driving the vehicle when I drove the ML350, thinking that there was no way I was going to let her get behind the wheel of that SUV with any level of comfort.

We tried both also ...
 

Steering is light on ML - but would not suggest dangerous unless you are pushing what's basically a truck at dangerous speeds often ...

We liked the ML but the one thing that put us off was how much it leaned into corners ..even with airmatic suspension ...

In the end we went with the X5 hands down ... it just a much better SUV proposition IMHO.

One thing about X5 ride - the bigger the wheels the harsher the ride (but there is some handing improvements also) ..its really about what you want.

There's no doubt that 20's (and up) LOOK fantastic (wider, meatier, arguably points for status/posing etc) ...BUT ..ride comfort is traded off for 'sportier' handling ...so if you're wife is thrashing around at high speed and is OK feeling more lumps and bumps then 20's are good.

Personally we stuck with the 18's as standard ..they look fine, best ride comfort, and you're not mucking around with fitting chains in winter etc if you need to. You'll also save $$ that could be put into things like comfort seats to help absorb more shock from your bum etc ....

good luck with your decision purchase either way ....

even the Lexus RX ranked better than the Merc. If she's not driving it for performance/handling, I'd say go with the comfy Lexus.